never the twain shall meet
idiom
—used to say that two things, places, etc., are very different and can never be brought together or made similar
As far as he's concerned, work is work, family life is family life, and never the twain shall meet.
Examples of never the twain shall meet in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There is the Bic Mac, and there is the chicken sandwich — preferably a Spicy McChicken, though McNuggets with a combo of ketchup and Buffalo sauce will do in a pinch — and never the twain shall meet.
—
Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 11 Oct. 2024
Red lives with red, blue lives with blue — and never the twain shall meet?
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 6 July 2023
Hard is hard, easy is easy, and never the twain shall meet.
—George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 6 June 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 11 Oct. 2024
Red lives with red, blue lives with blue — and never the twain shall meet?
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 6 July 2023
Hard is hard, easy is easy, and never the twain shall meet.
—George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 6 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Never the twain shall meet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/never%20the%20twain%20shall%20meet. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share